River to Recovery gets temporary space in Fall River

Editor's Note: Neither River to Recovery or any support meetings are being held at the 1 West St. location anymore.

FALL RIVER — “A very generous property owner” has provided temporary space for the displaced agency River to Recovery, said a board member of the non-profit that aids recovering addicts and their families.

The board member requested not to be identified out of retribution from city officials, but said that people in need of support meetings can access those meetings at 1 West St. on the second floor with the entrance from Weaver street.

The temporary meeting spot is not far from the location where River to Recovery was located for the past two years until city building inspectors shut down the operation at their former headquarters at a mill at Probber Lane and Ace Street.

The inspection was initiated by the fire department as part of an annual routine of city mill buildings whose inspectors then contacted inspectional services at the end of June.

Joseph Biszko, director of inspectional services, ordered the space occupied by River to Recovery after finding, among the violations, that the portion of the mill didn’t have the proper means of a second egress.

The closing came days after City Council Vice President Linda Pereira made public records that indicated now former city Department of Health and Human Services substance abuse Grant Coordinator Michael Aguiar used grant money meant for substance abuse prevention to fund a stay at a five-star hotel in New York City and other questionable expenses.

The day after, Aguiar resigned.

The information was obtained through an open records request filed by Rene Brown, a local defense attorney, and River to Recovery board member.

Since the closing of River to Recovery was reported in the media, the board member said the organization has received dozens of inquiries on “offers to help.”

“We are truly, truly grateful to the whole community,” said the board member.

The problem with accepting offers of space is that some locations were in very public areas.

“Privacy and anonymity are paramount for people who want to get clean really need. People are still not OK with the issue of addiction.”